UNILAG SSANU, NASU MEMBERS JOINS NATIONWIDE PROTESTS OVER WITHHELD SALARIES
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
…… Threatens to embark on indefinite strike
In an effort to get their delayed pay released immediately, members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) organized statewide rallies on public university campuses on Tuesday.
At the University of Lagos, one of our correspondents observed non-academic staff members holding placards.
The disgruntled employees carried placards with multiple inscriptions, demanding that the Federal Government honor their unfulfilled demands which are immediate payment of the 4-month withheld salary of their members, non-discrimination between academic and non-teaching staff of universities among others as they marched from the Senate building to the university’s entrance gate .
The protests on Tuesday came after the Federal Government was given a two-week ultimatum in June by SSANU and NASU.
The National Vice President, West, SSANU, Dr. Abdussobur Salaam, said the next stage of the protest would be picketing some government offices in Abuja, suspected to be involved in holding tight to their salaries.
“We have been neglected and maltreated by governments in respect of our issues.Some of the issues in contention dates back to 2009 when agreements were signed with the government, and if there were 20 issues in the 2009 agreement, you did maybe only 5 and leave 15 unattended to, you have done well.
He also lamented that despite a warning strike several months ago, the Federal Government has failed to meet the unions’ demands while stating the FG has paid other unions the salary Arrears at the detriment of NASU and SSANU members.
“We will appraise it by next week Thursday. On the 18th, we are going to do the national protest in Abuja and after the national protest, if nothing is done, we will get back to the table.”
While addressing the press, Comrade Gbenga Adenaiya, the Acting Chairman SSANU, Unilag chapter, mentioned that the union had earlier observed a 7-days warning strike because of the non-payment of Salaries and would consider an indefinite strike if their demands are not met.
He said, “Before this protest, our National Leaders have been meeting with representatives of the Government and they keep telling us that the money will be paid, since 2022, they promised to pay, 2023 has rolled over, 2024 is about rolling over and we still have not been paid.
Before the strike in 2022, the agreement between the union and the government was never fulfilled. There is no way we can get anything from the government unless we go on strike, that is the only language they understand.”
The acting Chairman, appealed and prayed that the government will release the witheld four-month salaries.
“Apart from this witheld salaries, we have other things that needs to be fulfilled. So, we are appealing that the government should come to our aid because we are working diligently on a daily basis for our daily bread.”
Meanwhile, NASU-UNILAG Chairman Yinka Abiodun mentioned that the government has been marginalising members of the union.
He however, called on the government to hasten action in the implementation of their demands.
It was gathered that the situation was not different at some of the other public universities across the country.
Earlier in March, SSANU and NASU members embarked on a one-week warning strike to protest their eight months’ withheld salaries by the Federal Government. During the warning strike, nothing moved administratively within any public university in Nigeria as hostels and varsity gates were locked up and electricity supply cut off by disgruntled non-academic staff.
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